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Method and system for changing operation modes of an interface device

Method and system for changing operation modes of an interface device description/claims

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to interface devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to Universal Serial Bus (“USB”) peripheral devices.

2. Background Art

Electronic devices capable of communicating via a Universal Serial Bus (“USB”) protocol (herein referred to as “USB devices”), such as cellular telephones and MP3 players, can have one or more possible modes of operation. For example, a USB device can operate in a mass storage class mode, a serial communication interface mode, or a media transfer protocol (“MTP”) interface mode. Accordingly, once a USB device is connected to a host device via a USB cable, the selected or default mode of operation of the USB device is obtained by the host device (e.g., during a detection process) and the appropriate drivers associated with that mode of operation is loaded in the host device to enable communication over the USB cable.

However, today, in order to switch a current mode of operation of a client USB device to a new mode, a user must physically disconnect the USB cable connecting the USB device to the host. Thereafter, the USB device is configured to operate in a new mode of operation, which requires the loading or configuring a driver by the client device. Then again, the USB cable must be physically reconnected to the host device. After reconnecting the USB cable, client mode of operation is obtained to enable the host device to operate in the new mode of operation. Thus, each time a mode of operation of a conventional USB device is to be switched or changed, the user is disadvantageously required to physically disconnect and then reconnect the USB cable, which is very inconvenient and impedes automated switching of mode of operation of the client device.

There is provided methods and systems for changing operation modes of a USB device, substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims.

The features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram of a conventional USB system;

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the conventional USB system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of a system for use in a USB device to enable switching of a mode of operation of the USB device while maintaining a physical USB connection to a host device, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of a method for use by a USB device for switching a mode of operation of the USB device while maintaining a physical USB connection to a host device, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

Although the invention is described with respect to specific embodiments, the principles of the invention, as defined by the claims appended herein, can obviously be applied beyond the specifically described embodiments of the invention described herein. Moreover, in the description of the present invention, certain details have been left out in order to not obscure the inventive aspects of the invention. The details left out are within the knowledge of a person of ordinary skill in the art.

The drawings in the present application and their accompanying detailed description are directed to merely example embodiments of the invention. To maintain brevity, other embodiments of the invention which use the principles of the present invention are not specifically described in the present application and are not specifically illustrated by the present drawings. It should be borne in mind that, unless noted otherwise, like or corresponding elements among the figures may be indicated by like or corresponding reference numerals.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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